Number of militants all-time low in Jammu and Kashmir: DGP Dilbag Singh

Jammu and Kashmir director general of police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Thursday said that the number of militants was at an all-time low in recent years in J&K stressing that militancy was ending, if not over yet.

Singh said that the youth in J&K are not drawn towards militancy now. “Militancy is not over in J&K but is ending. The number of militants, whether locals or from Pakistan, is at an all-time low compared to recent years. The youth who were being drawn towards militancy have left doing that now. The youth have now understood it is a way of destruction,” said Singh while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

He said that youth were opting for their careers rather than militancy. “Many avenues are available for youth like sports, career making, and education. Most of the youth are choosing careers to take forward their lives and that of their families. Police and security forces have to large extent controlled militancy. And action is being taken on remaining militants,” he said.

In March Dilbag Singh had said that efforts were on to finish the remaining “few remnants” of militancy in the union territory.

In November 2021, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha had claimed that militancy would end in two years in J&K. “Let me assure you that there will be no militancy in Jammu and Kashmir after two years. The Government of India is working in this direction,” he had said. In June last year Sinha had compared militancy in Kashmir to a candle, about to burn out, flaring bright.

Following the effective abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 and the crackdown against separatists and stone pelters, the law and order situation in union territory has improved but militant encounters with forces and targeted attacks by militants keep on continuing.

The DGP said that drone activities from Pakistan sending drugs and weapons into J&K have reduced but not ended. “We have put many countermeasures on ground against drone droppings. Many drone droppings are drugs from Pakistan besides AK 47 rifles, pistols, grenades and IEDs are also being sent from Pakistan. They are being successfully intercepted. Hundreds of such weapons have been recovered like this and quintals of contraband substances from Pakistan, whether using drones or through land routes have been recovered,” he said.

“Police and security forces have gotten big successes in this. Drone activities have reduced than earlier but still continuing. Our efforts are to stop all smuggling of weapons or narcotics and action continues,” he said.

The DGP said that they have launched campaigns against drug (peddling, addiction or misuse) in the UT.

“We have got big successes on the border where drugs from outside are dumped near the border which are then sent to different places in J&K and even to Punjab with the help of peddlers. We have busted big drug cartels. We achieved successes in Rajouri-Poonch areas, in Jammu and in Kupwara and Baramulla borders. The action also continues in the hinterland,” he said.

He said that in the UT the police have opened drug de-addiction centers and there are demands from people in Hajin, Bandipora to open one such centre. “We will attempt to help. We are implementing this scheme with help from GoI. It needs technical staff, medicines and resources. We will attempt to increase the scope of drug de-addiction,” he said.

On the announcement of J&K Waqf Board chairperson Darakshan Andrabi that they would organize Eid prayers at Eidgah in the old city this year after three years, Singh said that the law and order situation has improved in Srinagar and other districts.

“We need to move ahead balancing everything. In Srinagar, generally no law and order issues crop up now. And in other districts as well, we did not notice any law and order issues till now. Last year passed finely and this year also has been peaceful. I thank people that they have understood the designs of Pakistan and its agencies who were trying to provoke people for stone pelting,” he said.

“The announcement of Eid prayers is on the level of the Waqf Board. What will be the decision on Jamia, it will be taken by divisional administration,” he said.

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